In this lecture, Dr. Totten argues American colonists launched an insurgency in the face of British punitive actions that resulted from the Boston Tea Party. John Adams once wrote: "But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution."

The key point was the revolution was not inevitable and every event was contingent on each other. While we in retrospect can see the road to revolution clearly, it is important to note that very few people agreed on what they were doing or where they were going. The founders were eclectic people who vehemently disagreed on confronting Great Britain, disagreed on whether independence should be their goal, and most especially, disagreed on what government would emerge from the conflagration.

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